83 mostly free ways to slow down your life
When it's time to hush the rush.
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Many years ago, I met a woman at an event where I shared my story about simplifying, slowing down, getting rid of stress, and doing less to live well with multiple sclerosis. The woman I met had MS too. She asked me why I wasn’t afraid. She said she couldn’t slow down and do less.
In fact, since her diagnosis, she was always in a hurry. Everything was a rush. She said she was scared that soon she wouldn’t be healthy enough to do what she had to get done so she was pushing to get it done now, before she got too sick. As if it were a forgone conclusion.
My approach was the opposite. I knew if I didn’t slow down and take care that getting sicker would be a forgone conclusion.
Our conversation made me wonder if that’s why we are all in such a hurry. Are we afraid that if we don’t rush we’ll miss something, drop the ball, fall behind, run out of time and energy?
Logically, we know the opposite is happening. When we hurry, we miss more, drop more, and fall behind as we exhaust ourselves trying to keep up. When I get caught up in hurry or I’m rushing around doing too much or trying to get it all done, I feel exhausted and rundown. Additionally, I make more mistakes when I rush.
So for me, to live well with MS or really, just to live well, I remember that, consistency is more important than intensity and going slowly gets me further than rushing.
83 mostly free ways to slow down your life
Use these recommendations to come back to the present moment and slow down your life anytime but especially when you feel overwhelmed, stressed out or exhausted.
How to slow down your body:
Use your body to help you slow down in the following ways.
1. Feel your tongue on the roof of your mouth
2. Squeeze your fists and open them.
3. Squeeze your toes and release them
4. Lift your shoulders, then drop them.
5. Lift your eyebrows, then relax them.
6. Put your hands on your heart.
7. Feel your feet on the ground.
Slow down your surroundings.
What’s around you can affect what’s within you. Create a slow atmosphere to soothe your nervous system and encourage a slow down. You don’t have spend a lot to enjoy a slow space.
8. Light a candle.
9. Cuddle up with a comfy blanket.
10. Wear your softest clothes.
11. Notice 5 things you can see.
12. Notice 4 things you can hear.
13. Notice 3 things you can touch.
14. Notice 2 things you can smell.
15. Notice 1 thing you can taste.
Do less.
One time, my friend Heidi told me, “It’s easier to take back a no than to take back a yes.” Remembering those wise words has made it even easier to say things like, “No thank you.” “Not today.” “I’m not interested.” “I’m not the right person for that.”
16. Say no (even if you aren’t busy).
17. Rest.
18. Go to bed early.
19. Cancel something.
20. Under-schedule your week.
21. Plan a nothing day.
22. Create a weekly list instead of a daily to-do list.
23. Make a not-to-do list.
24. When they say, go big or go home ... go home.
25. Don’t worry about what’s next.
26. Stop catching up.
27. Don’t do one more thing.
28. Single-task.
29. Take things off your plate.
30. Go deeper instead of wider.
31. Trade your to-do list for a joy list.
Call for a digital slow down.
It’s clear that spending less time on your phone will allow you to spend more time in your life, more time enjoying your life. Here are a few ways to slow down your digital consumption.
32. Turn your phone off.
33. Remove email from your phone.
34. Take a news fast.
35. Try a digital sabbatical for 24 hours.
36. Take a social media break.
37. Remove distracting apps from your phone.
38. Set boundaries around your digital consumption.
39. Pretend the internet is broken.
40. 13 things to try before scrolling.
Slow your mind.
So many of the changes you make in your life are invisible. They happen within you. They happen when you decide to make small shifts or take tiny steps to change the way you think.
41. Remove yourself from drama.
42. Stop measuring your worth by what you get done.
43. Don’t explain yourself.
44. Release guilt
45. Regret less.
46. Release what you think other people think
47. Stop seeking validation from others.
48. Stop wearing these 3 things.
Slow down by simplifying your life.
To make things easier, stop thinking about what you are getting rid of and instead consider what you are making space for. Make space for laughing, resting and connecting. Make space to show up for your life.
49. Let go of things that hold you back.
50. Declutter your closet.
51. Give a bunch of stuff away.
52. Quit reading a book or watching a show you don’t enjoy.
53. Clean off your desk.
54. Donate the books you already read.
55. Let go of things that make you feel bad.
56. Empty your junk drawer.
Do slow things.
Sometimes slowing down our life comes down to doing slow things. Here are some examples.
57. Eat slowly.
58. Cook slowly.
59. Dance slowly.
60. Walk slowly.
61. Respond slowly.
62. Wake slowly.
63. Stargaze.
64. Read poetry.
65. Be quiet.
66. Write a love letter.
67. Savor a delicious bite.
68. Catch a sunset or a sunrise.
69. Journal.
70. Draw.
71. Paint.
72. Take Care of A Plant.
73. Knit.
74. Meditate.
75. Read.
76. Pet a dog or a cat.
77. Count backwards.
78. Create a slow morning routine.
79. Say something really nice to someone (including yourself).
Other ways to slow down and enjoy your life.
80. Watch your favorite holiday movie even after the holidays are over.
81. Declutter one thing a day to make some space for yourself, slowly.
82. Write your younger and/or older self a love letter.
83. Call your favorite person, the one who knows how to love you.
When it’s time to slow down and hush the rush, ask the right questions. Instead of “What should I do?” or “What am I supposed to do?” Ask yourself, “What do I want to do? How do I want to spend my time, my year, and my life?” Each stage of life offers challenges around our capacity to do exactly what we want but there is room for your desires.
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Paid subscribers are now invited to join monthly Declutter Hours! If you want to close the gap between inspiration and action and finally let go of all that stuff, I’d love to help.
xo,
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